All Rise...

Judge Ben Saylor wants to know how a drifter can stay so well-kempt.

The Charge

Cheyenne, Cheyenne, where will you be camping tonight?

The Case

Speaking as someone who was born in the '80s, it's hard to believe that at
one point, the airwaves were full of Western TV shows such as Maverick,
Bonanza, and Gunsmoke, to name just a few. While TV
Westerns started in the half hour format, with Cheyenne the genre moved
into the one-hour time frame.

The setup of Cheyenne is simplicity itself: Cheyenne Bodie (Clint
Walker, The Dirty Dozen) is
taken in by Cheyenne Indians after his parents are killed in a wagon train
massacre. The adult Cheyenne roams the West as a drifter, with no fixed address
or permanent job. Season Two of Cheyenne, which has been released by
Warner Archive, finds Cheyenne working in such capacities as cattle agent,
undercover Indian Department operative, dispatch rider and more.

Making Cheyenne a nomad was a smart move on the part of the show's creative
team, as it gives the episodes' plots a good amount of variety. Some, like
"The Iron Trail," in which Cheyenne has to foil a plot to kidnap
President Grant, are more action-packed affairs. Others, like "The Bounty
Killers," where Cheyenne signs on as a deputy for a deceptively
good-natured U.S. marshal, are slower paced and more interested in character and
moral debate. There's even room for a flirtation with horror with "Big
Ghost Basin," in which ranch hands are terrorized by an unknown menace.

Although the plots may vary, the character of Cheyenne remains consistent.
Courteous, open-minded, and brave, Cheyenne can always be counted on do to
what's right. Though the character isn't all that complex, the breadth of
storylines and Clint Walker's confident, quietly charismatic lead performance
help make these episodes entertaining television.

With most classic TV shows, another element of fun is spotting famous guest
stars, and in this regard the second season of Cheyenne does not
disappoint. On this set, you'll find appearances from the likes of Dan
"Hoss" Blocker, Diane Brewster, Richard Crenna, John Carradine, Angie
Dickinson, James Garner, Dennis Hopper, Slim Pickens and more.

Warner Archive has split Season Two of Cheyenne across two five-disc
sets, with two episodes per disc. While not flawless, the video quality is
nonetheless pretty strong. The sound conveys what it needs to well, which is
good since there are no subtitles. No bonus features are included.

The relatively-high price tag of these DVDs will probably be a deterrent to
some, but fans of this series and of Western television in general should be
happy with Warner Archive's release of Cheyenne: Season 2.